Apparatus for the fluid treatment of yarns and the like



July 22, 1947. LODGE 2,424,403

' APPARATUS FOR THE FLUID TREATMENT OF YARNS ADD THE LIKE Filed Feb. 22, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR THE FLUID TREATMENT OF YARNS AND THE LIKE Alvin Lodge, Detroit, Mich., assignor to American Viscose Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application February 22,1944, Serial No. 523,393

8 Claims. 1

vapor, in a deflnite space or channel and for passing continuously through that space the yarn or other article to be treated while avoiding any appreciable loss in the fluid through the yarn entrance and exit passages so that the conditions of treatment within the space can be readily maintained substantially uniform. Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the drawing and the description thereof in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one side plate and the bottom of the device in upright position,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the other side plate in reclining position, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the flexible elastic sealing member.

As shown, the device comprises side walls 2 and 3 supported upon a base 4 tov which they are secured by the bolts 5 and nuts 6. One of the walls 2 has a recess 2a Within its face and the other wall 3 is provided with a sloped surface I to which a flexible, elastic sealingmember 8.,

is secured adjacent one of its edges ill by any suitable means, such as by the machine screws 9. The flexible elastic sealing member which may be made of rubber or a synthetic rubber is so shaped that, when the device is assembled, the flexible member is inclined at any desired angle inwardly of the normal or perpendicular from its fixed edge in to the bearing surfaceoi wall 2 with its free sealing edge I! in contact against the wall 2. Preferably the bearing portion of wall 2 which the free edge contacts is substantiall flat or plane. The end edges]! of the sealing member flt tightly against the top surface of the base 4 or may be secured thereto. Conduits may be provided to supplyand remove the gas or vapor or other fluid. As shown, pipe '13 serves to supply the fluid and pipe 14 serves as a. discharge conduit. The sealing face of the wall 2 may be rigid or it may beiaced with a robbery material capable'of undergoing some flexing when the material passes through the device. I

The device may serve for the treatment of any 2 continuous material of indefinite length which has at least one relatively small transverse dimension, such as a thin sheet, ribbon or strip, or which has two such small dimensions, such as afllament, yarn, wire, coated wire or the like. For example, the device may be used to subject yarns, strips and the like of any material, such as regenerated cellulose, cellulose acetate, vinyl resins, such as polyvinyl chlorides or the copolymers of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate or the after-chlorinated vinyl polymer or copolymers to hot water, steam, superheated steam, hot air, or to heated vapors of swelling or softening agents, such as glycerine, acetone, dibutyl sebacate and the like.

The strand or strip material may be inserted into operative relation with the device merely by forcinga portion of its length down past the upper portion of the free edge ll of the sealing member into the position shown in Figure 1 where X designates the cross-section of the article being treated. The pressure of the gas or vapor within the chamber formed by the base 4, side walls 2 and 3, and the sealing member 8 serves to distend the sealin member and maintain a tight seal with a minimum loss of the treating medium at the point of entrance and exit of the continuously running article X.

While the drawing shows an embodiment in which the space or chamber for treating fluid between the two rigid side walls 2 and 3 is confined by a rigid base and a three-walled flexible sealing member, other arrangements may be provided, it being only necessary that there be a flexible wall portion at the points of entrance and exit of the article which is continuously guided therethrough for treatment. As one alternative, the flexible top wall as viewed in Figure 1 may be replaced with a rigid wall'similar to the base 4, the opposite flexible walls being shaped to fit in firm sealing engagement; with both the base and top. As another alternative,

the flexible sealing member maytake the form of a continuous annular membrane conforming to the peripheral surface of a frustum of a cone, the free edge being the smaller of the two circular edges. 7

It is to be understood that changes and variations may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I'claimz 1. A device for the treatment of a continuously running article or indefinite length having at least one transverse dimension of comparatively 3 small magnitude comprising a chamber defined by confining walls for receiving a treating medium under a pressure above that of the surrounding atmosphere, at least two portions of the confining walls being adapted to form passages communicating with the chamber for the entrance and exit of the article and comprising a flexible elastic member having a free edge in contact with the bearing surfaces of adjacent relatively inflexible portions of the confining walls to make a fluid sealing contact therewith, said member being inclined at each of said adjacent, inflexible portions with its free edge disposed inwardly of the normal from the adjacent bearing surface to the portions of the flexible member adjacent its free edge, thereby affording passage of the article into and out of the chamber while substantially sealing the passages and substantially preventing the escape of treating medium,

no portion of any flexible wall being inclined outwardly of the hereinbefore defined normal.

2. A device for the treatment of a continuously running article of indefinite length having at least one transverse dimension of comparatively small magnitude comprising a chamber defined by confining walls for receiving a treating medium under a pressure above that of the surrounding atmosphere, one of the walls being a flexible elastic member having a free edge capable of deformation to provide a passage communicating with the chamber and the surrounding space to afford passage of the article therebetween while substantially sealing the passage and substantially preventing the escape of treating medium from the chamber, another of the walls having an inner relatively inflexible bearing surface lying in a substantially flat plane, said bearing surface being in contact with the free edge to make a fluid sealing contact therewith, the flexible member being inclined with its free edge disposed inwardly of the normal from the bearing least one transverse dimension of comparatively small magnitude comprising a chamber defined and substantially preventing the escape of treat- 4 ing medium from the chamber, the member being inclined inwardly of the normal to the wall to which it is secured with its free edge in contact with the other side wall to make a fluid sealing contact therewith, a recess in the latter side wall disposed entirely within the line of contact between said wall and the flexible member, and means communicating with the chamber whereby a treating medium may be supplied thereto and discharged therefrom, no portion of any flexible surface to the portions of the flexible member adjacent its free edge, and a conduit communicating with the chamber for introducing the treating medium into the chamber, no portion of any flexible, wall being inclined outwardly of the hereinbefore defined normal.

3. A device for the treatment of a continuously running article of indefinite length having at least one transverse dimension of comparatively small magnitude comprising a chamber defined by confining walls for receiving a treating medium under a pressure above that of the surrounding atmosphere, one of the walls being a flexible elastic member having portions thereof on opposite sides of the chamber and having a free edge capable of deformation to provide a passage communicating with the chamber and the surrounding space to aflord passage of the article therebetween while substantially sealing the passage and substantially preventing the escape of treating'medium from the chamber, another of the walls having a rigid surface in contact with the free edge of the flexible member to make a fluid sealing contact therewith, the flexible member being inclined with its free edge disposed inwardly of the normal from the rigid surface to the portions of the flexible member adjacent its free edge, and a conduit communicating with the chamber for introducing the treating medium into the chamber, no portion of any flexible wall being inclined outwardly of the hereinbefore deflned normal.

4. A device for the treatment of a continuously running article of indefinite length having at wall being inclined outwardly of the hereinbefore defined normal.

5. A device for the treatment of a continuously running article of indefinite length having at least one transverse dimension of comparatively small magnitude comprising a chamber for a treating medium defined by confining walls, at least two portions of the confining walls being formed of flexible elastic material allowing exit and entrance respectively of the article, said material having a free edge past which the article must run in order to enter or depart from the chamber, a co-operating substantially plane surface of comparatively large width (relative to the thickness of the free edge of elastic material) adjacent each of the flexible wall portions and against which the free edge of the flexible material normally bears to make a fluid sealing contact therewith, each of the flexible wall portions being inclined with its free edge disposed inwardly of the normal from the adjacent bearing surface to the portions of the flexible member adjacent its free edge, thereby aflording passage of the article into and out of the chamber while substantially sealing the passages and substantially preventing the escape of treating medium.

6. A device for the treatment of a continuously running article of indefinite length having at least one transverse dimension of comparatively small magnitude comprising a chamber defined by confining walls for receiving a treating medium under a pressure above that of the sur rounding atmosphere, at least one portion of the confining walls being adapted to form a passage communicating with the chamber and the surrounding space to afiord passage of the article therebetween while substantially sealing the passage and substantially preventing the escape of treating medium from the chamber, each of said portions comprising a flexible elastic member having a free edge'in contact with the surface of an adjacent relatively inflexible portion of the confining Walls to make a fluid sealing contact therewith, said member being inclined with its free edge disposed inwardly of the normal from the adjacent bearing surface to the portion of the flexible member adjacent its free edge, no portion of any flexible wall being inclined outwardly of the hereinbefore defined normal.

7. A device for the treatment of a continuously running article of indefinite length having at least one transverse dimension of comparatively small magnitude comprising a chamber for a treating medium defined by'confining walls, at

least one portion of the confining walls being formed of flexible elastic material allowing the passage of the article'between the interior and exterior of the chamber, said material having a free edge past which the article must run during such passage, a co-operating relatively inflexible substantially plane surface of. comparatively large width relative to the thickness of the free edge of elastic-material adjacent the flexible wall portion and against which the free edge of the flexible material normally bears to make a fluid sealing contact, therewith, each ,of the flexible wall portions being inclined with its free-edge disposed inwardly of the normal from the adjacent bearing surface to the portions of the flexible member adjacent its free edge, thereby affording passage of the article with respect to the chamber while substantially sealing the passage and substantially preventing the escape of treating medium from the chamber, no portion of any flexible wall being inclined outwardly of the hereinbefore defined normal.

8. A device for the treatment of a continuously running article of indefinite length having at least one transverse dimension of comparatively small magnitude comprising a chamber defined by confining walls for receiving a treating medium under a pressure above that of the surrounding atmosphere, at least two oppositely disposed portions of the confining walk being adapted to form passages communicating with the chamber for the entrance and exit of the article and comprising a flexible elastic member having a free edge in contact with the bearing surfaces of adj acent relatively inflexible portions of the confining walls to make a fluid sealing contact therewith, said member being inclined at each of said portions with its free edge disposed. inwardly 'of the normal from the adjacent bearing surface to the DOrtions of the flexible member adjacent its free edge, thereby affording passage of the article into and out of the chamber while substantially sealing the passages and substantially preventing the escape of treating medium, no portion of any flexible wall being inclined outwardly of the hereinbefore defined normal. ALVIN LODGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

